Meter recorder and cost computer



1 Aug. 5, 1947. I w. J. PEARSON ,0

METER RECORDER AND COST COMPUTER Original Filed May 16, 1939 12Sheets-Sheet l Tm-r3312 fol/us INVENTOR:

BY TAZiZZiam JBeqI-Jpn,

9m m y! ATTORN Y.

Aug. 5, 1947. w. J. PEARSON METER RECORDER AND COST COMPUTER OriginalFiled May 16, 1939 12 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 9 w 1 9w 0 w I u l fi W W .9 0 1Q 1 M m2, 9 O l n w 1 w x r m 1 90 1 2s v M F ,li d x w a a 4 0 fi 0 1 mE u W: r& v 0 u 8 4 J m A. w .w w & 5 $5 1 o n mm m m mm m WP .n J w mW3 M 7 7 a +4 Aug. 5, 1947. w. J. PEARSON 7 METER RECORDER AND COSTCOMPUTER Original Filed May 16, 1939 l2 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR:

W Z Zia m JBeargon,

ATTORNEY IN V ENTOR:

l2 Sheets-Sheet 4 7 15am Jj ears on,

ATTORN Aug. 5, 1947. w. J. PEARSON METER RECORDER AND COST COMPUTEROriginal Filed May 16, .1939

will BY Aug. 5, 1947.

W. J. PEARSON METER- RECORDER AND COST COMPUTER Original Filed May 16,1939 12 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR William J1eara on TORNEY.

W. J. PEARSON METER RECORDER AND COST COMPUTER Aug. 5, 1947.

12 Sheets-Sheet 6 Original Filed May 16, 1939 INVENTOR.

W. J. PEARSON METER RECORDER AND COST COMPUTER Aug. 5, 1947.

Original Filed May 16, 1939 12 Shqefis-Sheet 7 Aug. 5, 1947. v w. J.PEARSON METER RECORDER AND COST COMPUTER 12 Sheets-Sheet 8 OriginalFiled May 16, 1939 W a w INVENTOR;

JIRea Zilliam man, am 13 T'IORNEY- Aug. 5, 1947. E w. J. PEARSON2,425,072

METER RECORDER AND COST COMPUTER Original Filed May 16, 1939' 12Sheets-Sheet 10 flialfi. INVENTORL' TAZiZZzam Jfleam on, BY

ATTORN Aug. 5, 1947.

W. J. PEARSON METER RECORDER AND COST COMPUTER Original Filed May 16,193

l2 Sheets-Sheet 11 400 I NVEN TOR:

William .IBeans'on,

Aug. 5, 1947.. w. J. PEARSON 2,425,072

METER RECORDER AND 665T COMPUTER Original Filed May 16, 1959 12Sheets-Sheet 12 a J16 fit? 22' 17 1170- Inn-11111111111111 MM WilliamJBean on,

Patente d Aug. 5, 1947 METER RECORDER AND COST COMPUTER William J.Pearson, Los' Angeles, Calif., assignor to Meter Recorder Company,Carson City, Nev., a corporation of Nevada Original application May 16,1939, Serial No.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 273,981. Divided and this application April19, 1943, Serial No. 483,635

13 Claims.

This invention relates generally to meter registering and recordingmeans for continuously registering and periodically recording theconsumption of and charge made for a commodity furnished by a utilitycompany, such as electrical energy, gas or water. However, while theinvention is particularly applicable in connection with the furnishingof utility services, and is hereinafter described illustratively in thatconnection, it is not necessarily limited thereto, and may have widerapplication.

The present application is a division of my abandoned originalco-pending application Ser. No. 273,981, filed May 16, 1939, entitledMeter recorder. Reference is also made to my copending application Ser.No. 478,157, filed March 5, 1943, now Patent No. 2,410,743, datedNovember 5, 1946, entitled Meter recorder, which is a continuation inpart of my said original application Ser. No. 273,981.

As is well known, it is the common present practice for a utilityservice company to send out meter readers, who call once a month at eachconsumers residence to take a meter reading. This reading is carriedback to the offices of the company, the charge calculated, and the billmailed out. Owing to the sliding scale usually in effect, under whichthe rate of charge is reduced one or more times for consumptions overcertain predetermined quantities, the labor involved in computation ofthe bills alone is somewhat substantial. That, together with the laborof printing the bills and mailing them out, amounts in the aggregate toa relatively heavy burden. It has been recognized a long while byutility companies that great savings would be effected by the provisionof a suitable meter recorder which would both calculate and print theconsumers bill at his premises. The problem of providing such arecorder, however, involves very great difficulties, as there are manycomplicating factors to be taken into account, and none of the pastefforts in this direction have yielded a suitable mechanism capable ofmeeting these problems in a trustworthy fashion.

The general object of the present invention is accordingly to provide ameter recorder of good mechanical design capable of computing costs on asliding scale basi and of periodically printing a bill.

Conventional meters register total consumption since the date ofinstallation of the meter, and a given reading must always be subtractedfrom a previous reading to obtain the total for the period. Thisinvolves several evident disadvantages, including the disadvantage tothe consumer that he cannot easily ascertain the quantity ofelectricity, for example, that he is using.

A feature of the present invention is the provision of a meter recorderdesigned to be reset to zero at the time each bill is printed, and alsothe provision of visible registers showing the total consumption sinceresetting, and the cost, taking into account the sliding scale chargerates in effect. The consumer can accordingly always easily ascertainthe quantity of the commodity consumed since the last reckoning, and thecost thereof.

Utility companies usually set a minimum charge for each months service.A further feature of the invention is accordingly the provision of meanswhereby the quantity registration and recordation mechanism is reset tozero, but the cost registration and recordation mechanism is reset tothe minimum service charge, and remains inactive until consumptionequivalent to such charge has occurred.

In accordance with the present invention, the meter recorder isperiodically operated by a meter reader or operator, sent out by theutility company, to print the bill for the preceding months service.This operation, as above indicated, not only prints the bill, but resetsthe recorder, a unitary mechanism being provided which acts through acycle of operations to effect a succession of printings on the bill andthen to reset the machine. This mechanism is carried through its saidcycle of operations by a predetermined number of successive manualactuations of a hand crank or other suitable operating member.Preferably, the bill is printed in triplicate, so that two copies may beleft with the consumer, one to be forwarded with his remittance, and thethird turned in to the company by the operator. In such an embodiment,the first three actuations of the manual operating member effect thefirst three printings, and the fourth resets the machine. The subjectmatter thus broadly outlined in this paragraph is claimed in the presentdivisional application.

The subject matter claimed in my co-pending application Ser. No.478,157, now Patent No. 2,410,743, is directed primarily to thecomputing mechanism whereby sliding scale charge rate are taken intoaccount.

The invention, as well a various objects and accomplishments notmentioned in the foregoing, will be better understood by referring nowto the following detailed description of certain present illustrativeembodiments thereof, referonce for this purpose being had to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the meter recorder of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the relation between themeter recorder of the present invention and the rotor of a conventionalkilowatt hour meter;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the meter recorder with the front coverremoved, and with some parts broken away, to reveal underlyingmechanism;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the meter recorder, being a view taken asindicated by broken line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3, certain parts beingbroken away;

Fig. 5a is a view showing certain parts of Fig. 5 in another operatingposition;

Fig. 6 is a detail section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a section taken on broken line 1--1 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 8 is a view showing certain operative parts of Fig. 7 in analternative position;

Fig. 9 is another view showing certain operative parts of Fig. 7 inanother operating position;

Fig. 9a is a detail view of a trip lever and mounting;

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the meter recorder, certain parts beingbroken away, and certain underlying parts being omitted;

Fig. 11 is a cross-section on line H-ll of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 11, but showing other operatingpositions;

Fig. 13 is an enlarged and partially broken away front elevational viewof the upper portion of the meter recorder, being similar to a portionof Fig. 3, but showing an alternative operating position;

Fig. 13a is a detail section on line |3al3a of Fig. 13;

Fig. 13b is a detail section on line Nib-13b of Fig. 13;

Fig. 14 is a section taken on line M-l4 of Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 is a detail section taken in accordance with line |5-l5 of Fig.13;

Fig. 16 is a cross-section taken on line |3-l6 of Fig. 15;

Fig. 1? is a section on broken line lll'l of Fig. 3;

Fig. 18 is a section on line l3l8 of Fig. 17;

Fig. 19 is a view on broken line l9-l9 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 20 is a section on line 2ll-2ll of Fig. 19;

Fig. 21 is a section on line 2l2l of Fig. 20;

Fig. 22 is a section on line 22-22 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 23 is a section on line 2323 of Fig. 22;

Fig. 24 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing an alternative form ofthe invention; and

Fig. 25 is a View showing an illustrative electrical circuit adapted forthe modification of Fig. 24.

The invention will be disclosed through descrlption and illustration ofcertain present illustrative embodiments of a meter recorder designedfor the particular purpose of use in conjunction with a conventionalkilowatt hour meter. From such disclosure the full scope of theinvention may be gathered; it being evident that the invention may beredesigned in such manner that the kilowatt hour meter and meterrecorder form one instrument, and it being further evident that 4 means,the meter recorder of the invention may be used in conjunction with gasor water meters, or in other analogous uses. For convenience ofunderstanding, the meter recorder may be subdivided in description intocertain components under appropriate sub-headings, though thedescriptions thereunder are necessarily somewhat overlapping.

Actuating means A typical actuating means in accordance with theinvention will first be described. In Fig. 2, the rotor of aconventional kilowatt hour meter is indicated diagrammatically at R, andthis rotor is shown as rotating a shaft 30 at the upper end of which isa worm 3|. The worm 3| meshes with a worm wheel 32 upon a shaft 33, onwhich is mounted a switch actuating cam 34. The shafts 30 and 33 will beunderstood to be mounted for rotation in any suitable bearings, notillustrated, and it will be understood that the rate of rotation ofrotor R, and of shafts 30 and 33, is in proportion to consumption ofelectrical energy. Cam 34 has a lobe 35 adapted to alternately close apair of normally open switches S1 and S2, which are positioned in 180opposition with reference to the cam. In the position shown in Fig. 2,the movable arm of switch S1 is being engaged by cam lobe 35 and so heldin closed position, while the movable arm of switch S2 is in openposition. It will be understood that when cam 34 has rotated through180, switch S1 will be open and switch S2 will be closed. The twomovable or cam operated arms of switches S1 and S2 are connected by lead36 to one side of the line, which may be the usual volt A. C. supplycircuit. The switches S1 and S2 and their actuating cam 34 as well asshaft 33 and gears 3| and 32 are preferably installed inside the housingof the kilowatt hour meter, and are constructed to such scale that nochange or enlargement of the meter housing is. required. The worm 3| andWorm Wheel 32 are preferably so designed that a contact will be made ateither switch S1 or S2 for every tenth of a kilowatt hour registered bythe kilowatt hour meter.

The two outside or stationary arms of switches S1 and S2 are connectedby leads 3'! and 38, respectively, to the two stationary, outside armsof a pair of normally open switches S3 and S4 located within the laterdescribed meter recorder housing. The two inside or movable arms ofswitches S3 and S4 are on opposite sides of a cam 40, driven as laterdescribed from an electric motor M, also located within the meterrecorder housing. Cam 40 has a surface 4| of uniform radius and of atleast in circumferential extension adapted to engage the two movablearms of switches S3 and S4 and to hold said arms in closed position. Atthe end of this cam surface M is a shoulder 42 adapted to permit themovable switch arms. to move towards the center of the cam to open theswitches, and shoulder 42 is connected with the other or forward end ofcam surface 4| by a surface 43 of gradually increasing radius. The twomovable or cam actuated arms of switches S3 and S4 are connected by lead45 to one side of motor M and the other side of said motor is connectedto line, as indicated. The actuating means may be considered as alsoincluding certain later-described gear operated by the motor M.

Operation of the actuating means is as follows: electrical energy beingconsumed, rotor R of the kilowatt hour meter is in rotation at a rate ofspeed governed by the rate of energy consumption, and, as explainedabove, cam 34 rotates at such speed that switches S1 and S2 arealternately closed, one switch closure occurring for each th of akilowatt hour of electrical energy consumed. Assume first cam 4th to bein the position indicated in dotted lines, so that switch S4 would thenbe in open position and switch S3 in closed position. Then, as cam 34closes switch S1, a circuit is completed from the line via lead 35 toswitch S1, thence via lead 31 to switch S3, and from switch S3 via lead45 to motor M, and so back to the other side of the line. Motor M willthen be energized, and will drive cam 4|] in the direction of the arrow.In the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2, cam 40 has rotated nearly18% from the dotted line starting position, and has moved the movablearm of switch S4 to closed position, while its shoulder 42 is about tomove past the movable arm of switch S3 and so permit the latter to open.This last will occur when cam 45 has moved exactly 180 from its startingposition, and at such time switch S3 will be open and switch S4 closed.The circuit to motor M is then opened, since, although switch S4 isclosed, switch S2 remains open. In subsequent rotation of meter drivencam 34, switch S1 will be open and switch S2 closed, whereupon motor Mwill be energized through switch S4 and cam 40 will rotate through 180and then stop, as before. Thus, for each closure of switches S1 and S2,motor M is energized and drive-s cam 49 through a half-revolution,whereupon the motor is deenergized and stops. This periodic operation ofthe motor is utilized to reciprocate certain later described members toactuate the meter recorder.

Meter recorder housing and framework As mentioned heretofore, the meterrecorder may be built in as an auxiliary attachment to or part of theconventional kilowatt hour meter, or it may, as here indicated, beprovided as a separate unit in a separate housing. A-s here illustnated,the meter recorder housing comprises a casing C bolted to a verticalback frame or panel Fwhich supports the operating parts through suitablebrackets secured to and projecting forwardly therefrom. Casing Cembodies an upper vertically disposed front wall portion C1 providedwith upper and lower windows 50 and 5| through which the later-describedkilowatt hour and price registers or counters are visible. Wall portionC1 merges with a forwardly extending wall portion C2, which in turnmerges with a lower vertically disposed front wall portion C3 locatedsomewhat forwardly of wall portion C1, and this lower front wall portionC3, merges with the horizontal bottom wall C4 of the casing. Horizontalcasing wall portions C2 and C4 are provided with vertically alignedslots 52 and 53, through which the later described bill to be printed isinserted and removed.

The previously mentioned electric motor M is here shown as mounted inthe bottom of casing C (Fig. '1), as for example on a bracket 55projecting from panel F near the lower edge of the lat ter. The shaft 58of motor M carries a spur gear 51, which meshes with a spur gear 58, oftwice the diameter as gear -51 (Figs. 4 and 7). Gear 58 is supported forrotation in any suitable manner, as for instance by means of a stubshaft 59 (Fig. 7) suitabl journalled in a bearing, not shown, carried bya bracket Bil projecting from frame pane1 F, The cam 40 is secured toone face of this gear 58. The switches S3 and S4 are carried by aninsulation block 64 mounted on a bracket 65 projecting from panel F.Motor shaft 55 also carries, outside of gear 51, an eccentric 66 aroundwhich is an eccentric strap 61 to which is connected a push rod 68.

Gear 58 being twice the diameter of gear 51, the motor shaft and gear51, as well as eccentric 3'6, make one complete revolution for each halfrevolution of gear '58 and cam 40. The relations are made such that whencam shoulder 42 passes and opens either switch S3 or S4, therebyarresting the rotation of motor M, eccentric BB and push rod 58 are atthe top of their stroke, as in Fig. 7. It will be evident, therefore,that for each tenth kilowatt hour of electrical energy consumed, pushrod 68 Will travel through one complete down and up reciprocation.

Visible kilowatt hour register The upper end of push rod 68 is pivotallyconnected to a gear segment 10 pivotally mounted on one end portion of ahorizontal shaft 1| which is rotatably supported in bearings 12 formedon a pair of brackets 13a and 13b projecting from panel F (see Fig. 10).Gear segment 10 meshes with and reciprocates a gear segment 15 which iskeyed to a sleeve 16 (Fig. 10) mounted for free rotation on a horizontalshaft 11 extending through the outer end portions of the aforementionedbrackets 13a and 13b, sleeve 16 being provided with hearing in the outerend portion of bracket 13a, as clearly appears in Fig. 10.

Welded or otherwise joined to sleeve 16 immediately inside :bracket 13a,is one arm 19 of a yoke 80, said arm 19 being rotatably on shaft 11, andthe other arm 8| of the yoke likewise being rotat able on shaft Tl at apoint immediately inside the other bracket 13?) (Figs. 10 and 13). Thisyoke 83 thus makes a rotativ reciprocation (down and up) on shaft 11with each reciprocation of push rod 68, being so operated by the meshinggear segments 19 and 15.

Mounted between the arms 19 and 8| of yoke 89 is what I may term amultiple pawl 85, the latter comprising a bar ill) having pawl teeth 81,88, 89, 9E], and SI mounted thereon at graduated angles or angularpositions, the teeth and bar comprising an integral structure (Fig. 11).The angular separation of the pawl teeth is such that but one isoperative to drive the later-described counter wheels at a time, as willappear. The end portions of bar 86 are pivotally mounted in yoke arms 19and Si, in the manner indicated in Fig. 10.

These pawls are longitudinally spaced on the bar so that they engagetoothed discs 93, 94, 95, 56 and 91 which are riveted or otherwisesecured to respective counter wheels 93', S4, 95, 95 and 91' of avisible kilowatt hour register or counter 98, said wheels beingrotatably mounted and longitudinally spaced on the aforementioned shaft11 (Figs. 10 to 13). Each digital counter wheel containscircumferentially spaced numerals from 0 to 9, and each toothed disc hasa tooth corresponding to each numeral. Each toothed disc has, betweentwo of the teeth Hill, a relatively deep notch l6! adapted to receivethe corresponding pawl tooth, for a purpose and in a manner presently toappear.

As mentioned above, the counter wheels are independently mounted forfree rotation on shaft 11, which is stationary excepting duringresetting, and rotation of the counter wheels in a direction reverse tothat imparted by the pawl teeth is prevented by a spring actuated detentI02 engageable with successive teeth I00, as Seen best in Figs. 11 and12. A coil spring I04 wound around bar 85 of multiple pawl 85 isanchored at one end to the yoke and the other end to one of the pawls,as M (see Fig. 11), and serves to urge the multiple pawl intoengagement; with the toothed discs.

Assuming all the counter wheels to be set to read 0, as in Fig. 3, thefirst reciprocation of yoke 89 brings first pawl tooth 81 intoengagement with the nearest tooth I on first toothed disc 93, movingfirst counter wheel 93' in the direction of the arrow in Fig 11 througha distance corresponding to the spacing of the teeth I89, and therebymoving numeral 1 into position before the window 59. The counterstarting at O, the toothed discs 93 will initially be in the position ofFig. 11, with the pawl teeth ready to engage the first tooth ISO in backof notch IflI. Successive energizations of motor M through the meansdescribed then cause successive actuations of toothed disc 93 andcounter wheel 93 by pawl tooth 84, causing succeeding numbers on thecounter wheel 93' to be moved up into position until the numeral 9 ispassed, whereupon pawl tooth 81 drops into V shaped notch IOI in disc93, the whole multiple pawl structure swinging closer to the counterwheels. Thereupon second pawl tooth 88 engages the toothed disc 94associated with second counter wheel 94. On the next reciprocation ofyoke 80, first toothed disc 93 will again be advanced, pawl tooth 81acting thereon within the notch IOI, while at the same time, second pawl88 engages the first tooth I00 of second toothed disc 94 and advancesthe latter and its counter wheel 94 one step. First toothed disc 93 andassociated counter wheel 93 are then back in the zero position of Fig.11, while second toothed disc 54 and its counter wheel 94 have beenadvanced so that numeral 1 is now in position. In other words, thecounter now registers 00010. It will thus be evident that each timefirst counter wheel 93' moves from the 9 position to the 0 position,second counter wheel 94' is advanced one step. And it will be furtherevident that as second counter wheel 94' is finally advanced from the 9position to 0 position, the second pawl 68 will at such time be workingwithin the notch IIll in second toothed disc 94, permitting third pawl89 to engage the toothed disc associated with the third counter wheel,thus advancing the latter one step. Thus each time each counter wheelmoves through the last step to completee a revolution and comes back toezro, the next counter wheel in the series is advanced one step.Operation of the counter is thus progressive in multiple counts of ten,

Since each energization of motor M effecting a reciprocation of yoke 80corresponds with consumption of one-tenth of a kilowatt hour, counterwheel 93 registers tenths of a kilowatt hour, counter wheel 94 registersunit kilowatt hours, counter wheel 95' registers tens of kilowatt hours,and so on. Thus the total capacity of the counter is 9,999.9 kilowatthours.

Printing kilowatt hour counter The printing kilowatt hour counterdesignated generally by numeral III) (see Fig. 3), embodies a series oftype wheels IiI, H2, H3, H4 and I I5, corresponding respectively tovisible counterwheels 93', 94', et seq., rotatably supported on arotatable horizontal shaft IIB (see also Figs. 5, 22 and 23), arrangedin the lower portion of casing 0, somewhat forwardly of visible counter8 wheel shaft 11. The type counter wheels I I I, I I2, et seq., arearranged on their shaft H6 in reversed order from the correspondingcounter wheels 93, 94', et seq., and the numerals thereon are reversedright for left, as is required for printing. Further, the type wheel IIIat the left end of the series is provided with decimal points which willprint to the left of the numerals of that wheel. The shaft H6 isjournalled near one end in a sleeve 60a (Fig. 22), which is in turnrotatably supported in a bearing 60b formed on the outer end of theaforementioned bracket 60, and near its other end, shaft H6 isjournalled in a bearing II'Ia formed on the outer end of a bracket II'Iextending from frame panel F, Integral with sleeve 60a and projectingoutwardly therefrom is a stub shaft 600 (Fig. 22) by which said sleevemay be rotated to reciprocate a later described counter actuating yoke.

The type wheels III, II2, etc., have secured to their sides tootheddiscs II I, H2, etc., similar to the toothed discs 93, 94, etc.,associated with the visible counter wheels. As appears in Fig. 3, theprinting kilowatt hour wheels I I I, I I2, etc., are arranged in closelyspaced relation on the right hand end portion of the shaft I I6, justinside the bracket I IT, a later described price printing counter beingpositioned on the left hand portion ofsaid shaft.

Printing kilowatt hour counter H0 is operated by a yoke I20 (Figs. 5 and22) similar to the yoke of the visible counter, and which has yoke armssurrounding the shaft H6 at the two ends of the counter III], as will beunderstood. This yoke I20 will be understood to carry a multiple pawlI2I (Fig. 22) understood to be similar to the multiple pawl carried bythe yoke 80 in all respects, excepting that the order of the pawl teethis reversed to correspond with the right for left reversal of theprinting type wheels.

A link I24 is pivotally connected at its upper and lower ends toextensions I25 and I26 from yokes 80 and I2, respectively, and causesthe printing kilowatt hour counter to be actuated simultaneously withthe actuation of the visible kilowatt hour register, it being of courseunderstood that the printing kilowatt hour counter H0 is operated by theyoke I20 in a manner exactly analogous to the operation of the visiblekilowatt hour counter wheels by the yoke 80.

It will thus be seen that the visible kilowatt hour register is actuatedby intermittent energization of the motor M through gear segments I0 andI5 in cooperation with oke 80, multiple pawl 85, and toothed discs 93,et seq., and visibly registers current consumption in terms of kilowatthours and tenths, while through link I24 a similar mechanism embodyingprinting type wheels containing type numerals corresponding to thevisible numerals of the visible counter is simultaneously operated toregister the identical information in the form of type presented in acommon plane for printing operations,

Visible and printing price counters Rotatably mounted on a horizontalshaft I30, located below and parallel to visible kilowatt hour counterwheel shaft "I'I. are the counter wheels I3I, I32, I33 and I34 of avisible price counter or register I35 (Figs. 3 and 13). The shaft I30for this counter or register I35 is journalled near one end in a bearingI36 formed in a bracket I31 extending from panel F, and is journalled atits other end within a sleeve I38 which is in turn journalled in abearing I39 formed on a second bracket I40 extending from panel F, allas clearly appearing in Figs. 13 and 14. Secured to the sides of counterwheels I30 to I33 are toothed discs I4 I, which are identical in designand function to the toothed discs 93, et seq., and which will beunderstood to be operated by a yoke and multiple pawl assembly,fragmentarily appearing at I42 in Fig. 13, and understood to be similarin design and function to the yoke 80 and multiple pawl 85. These partshaving been already detailed in Figs. 11 and 12, no further illustrationthereof is deemed necessary. The two arms I43 and I44 of this actuatingyoke I42 are indicated in Fig. 13 as surrounding the shaft I30 at thetwo ends of the counter I35, the arm I43 being secured, as by welding,to the end of the sleeve I38 previously described as rotatably mountedin bearing I39.

On the left hand portion of shaft I I6, immediately to the right ofbracket 60, as viewed in Figs. 3 and 22, is a printing price counterI50, comprising a series of type wheels II, I52, I53, and I54, eachprovided with a toothed disc I55, like the toothed disc 53, et seq., ofthe visible kilowatt hour counter previously described. Without goinginto particular detail in the description of the printing price counterI 50, it will suffice to note that the printing price counter I50 bearsthe same structural and functional relationships to the visible pricecounter I35 that the kilowatt hour printing register H0 bears to thevisible kilowatt hour register, and is operated through the medium of ayoke I55 and multiple pawl I51 (Figs. 22 and 23) similar to the yoke andmultiple pawl 0f the printing kilowatt hour counter IIO. One arm of theyoke I56 is secured to the sleeve 60a, and the yoke is reciprocated byrotation of the stub shaft 600 integral with said sleeve.

Mounted on the top and on the bottom of the forward end portions ofbrackets 60 and III and extending horizontally therebetween are framemembers I60 and IEI, respectively, and secured to and extendingvertically between the latter, at the inner or adjacent ends of the twoprinting counters H0 and are vertical walls I62 and 163, respectively,carrying intermediate bearings !64 and I65 for shaft II6.

Rate changing mechanism Actuation of the visible price register orcounter I35 and of the printing price counter I50 is derived from thesame impulses which actuate the visible kilowatt hour register, andtakes place through a computing mechanism which automatically varies therate of charge at predetermined totals of electrical energy consumed.

The aforementioned gear segment I0 reciprocated by push rod 68 carries apin I on which is pivoted a pawl I16, and a spring IIl urges this pawlinto engagement with the teeth of a ratchet wheel I18 secured to theshaft II as by set screw I19 (Figs. '7 and 10), so that rotation ofratchet wheel I13 imparts rotation to shaft II, it being recalled thatgear segment I0 is rotatable on said shaft. A spring actuated detent I80engages the teeth of ratchet wheel I13 to prevent reverse rotation.There are ten teeth on the ratchet wheel, and each energization of motorM, and consequent down-and-up reciprocation of push rod 68, movesratchet wheel I'IB one tooth or onetenth of a revolution. The actualtravel of the pawl H6 is made preferably slightly more than one-tenth ofa revolution in order to assure proper cooperation with the ratchetwheel. The shaft II is thus rotated one-tenth of a revolution for eachtenth of a kilowatt hour consumed, and accordingly completes onerevolution for each kilowatt hour. Driven from this common shaft II is aplurality of rotatable actuating elements for the price counters I35 andI50, said elements being, for instance, in the form of cams, driven atdifferent rates of rotation, and selector mechanism is provided wherebythese actuating elements are selected in succession, one at a time, andrendered effective to actuate the counters I35 and I50. The operation ofthe selector mechanism is preferably under the control of the visiblekilowatt hour counter. This mechanism will now be described in moredetail.

On shaft 'II is secured a pluralit of gears I00, I-SI, I92, and I93(Fig. 10), of progressively decreasing diameters, which operate throughpresently described gear trains of diiferent driving ratios to impartsimultaneous but differential rotatio-n to respective cams I94, I05, I96and I6? (Figs. 5 and 14), mounted for free rotation on a fixedhorizontal shaft 200.

The shaft 200 is supported in the aforementioned frame brackets I31 andI40 and in a third frame bracket 20I spaced horizontally from bracketI40 (Fig. 14). Rigidly attached to each cam, and rotatable on the shaft200 with the cam, is a spur gear 205, the gears 205 being in alignmentwith respective gears I to I93 on shaft II. The gears I90 to I93 drivethe respective cam gears 205 through gear trains comprising pairs ofidler gears 206 and 201 rotatably mounted on carrying arms 208 clampedto the fixed shaft 200, the idlers 206 meshing with the drive gears onshaft II, and the idlers 201 meshing with the cam gears *205, all aswill be readily understood from an inspection of Figs. 5, 10 and 14.

The gear ratios of the cam driving gear trains are so fixed that eachcam makes one revolution for each one-cents worth of electrical energyconsumed at the various charge rates to be put in effect. Thus the geartrain I90, 206, 201 and 205 imparts 4.4 revolutions to the cam I64 forevery ten reciprocations of the actuating push rod I24. In other words,cam I 84 rotates through 4.4 revolutions for each kilowatt hour ofelectrical energy consumed, 4.4 revolutions of the cam 94 correspondingwith a charge of 4.4 cents, in accordance with the maximum domesticcharge rate assumed. Gear train Nil, 206, 207 and 205 drives cam I05 ata rate of 2.2 revolutions for each ten reciprocations of the actuatingpush rod I24, or one kilowatt hour. Gear train I92, 206, 201 and 205drives cam I96 at a rate of 1.5 revolutions for each kilowatt hourconsumed, and gear train I93, 206, 20'! and 205 drives cam I97! at arate of 1.25 revolutions for each kilowatt hour consumed. The last threerates accord with typical decreasing domestic rates applicable toincreased current consumption. The typical rates assumed as follows: Thefirst thirty-five kilowatts at $3.044 a kilowatt hour; the neXtsixty-five kilowatts at $022; the next one hundred at $015; and all inexcess at 35.0125. It may be mentioned at this point that the machinemay readily be changed to accord with different rates simply by changingthe gears I50 to I93 and idlers working therewith.

Thus all of the cams IE4 to it? are intermittently rotated,simultaneously, but at different rates of speed. Only one cam at a time,however, is effective in causing operation of the visible and printingprice counters. The means by which the several cams are selectivelyrendered effective to accomplish operation of the price counters willnext be described.

A horizontal shaft 225 arranged coaxially with visible price countershaft I30 (Fig. 13) is received at one end within the sleeve I38 heretofore described as journaled in bearing I39, and said shaft 225 isjournaled at its other end in a bearing 226 formed at the forward end ofthe aforementioned bracket 29!. The end of the shaft 225 received withinsleeve I38 carries a transverse pin 221 which engages in a slot 228 insleeve I38. It being recalled that sleeve I38 is joined to the multiplepawl carrying yok I42 of the visible price counter, it will be evidentthat oscillation of the shaft 225 will eifect operation of said counter.

Rotatable on shaft 225, and extending from bearing I39 to hearing 226,is a sleeve 225a, and mounted for independent free rotation on sleeve225a is a series of cam actuated levers 230, 23!, 232 and 233, one foreach of the cams I94, et seq. These levers are identical, and adescription of one will suffice. The lever carries at its upper end acam follower roller 249 adapted to engage the edge of the associatedcam. A spring 24! secured to a tail piece 242 projecting from the hub ofthe lever urges the follower roller 240 into engagement with the cam.Pivotally mounted on the lever, as at 243, is a double armed pawl. 245,which is yieldingly urged in a counterclockwise direction as seen inFigs. 4 and 5 by means of a spring 246, as clearly indicated in Fig. 5.

Also mounted on the sleeve 225a, but tightly secured thereon, is aseries of cranks 269, 26!, 262 and 263, one for and adjacent to each ofthe levers 239, et seq. Reciprocation of any of these cranks will causecorresponding oscillation of the sleeve 225.

As will be clear from an inspection of Figs. 5 and 13, the crankassociated with each of the levers is on one side of the lever, whilethe twoarmed pawl 245 carried by said lever is on the other sidethereof; also as clearly shown in said figures, the end portion of thecrank carries a pin 265 which projects under the lever and is adapted tobe engaged and moved by the lower edge of the lever, and is also adaptedto be engaged and held against the lever by the pawl 266 forming one armof the two-armed pawl 245. The pawl arm 266 being so engaged with thecrank pin 265, the crank, and therefore the sleeve 225a to which thecrank is secured, are oscillated with the movement of the lever as itscam follower roller 249 is actuated by the associated cam. Thisoscillation of the sleeve 225a is translated into operation of thevisible price counter I35 in a manner to be presently described.

Normally, the lever 230 is latched by the other arm 268 of the two-armedpawl 245 in a position (see Fig. 7) in which its cam follower roller24!) is out of the path of the associated cam, the other arm 266 of thetwo-armed pawl being at such time out of engagement with crank pin 265.

The means on which the pawl arms 268 are latched to hold the levers 230,et seq., out of operative engagement with their respective camscomprises a two-part horizontally shiftable rate changing device 215embodying a channel-shaped bar 216 and a flat plate or blade 211received and vertically movable in the channel 218 of said bar, thechannel 218 opening through the upper edge of bar 216, as illustrated inFigs. 13 and 13a. The channel-shaped bar 216 and blade 211 movelongitudinally as a unit in guides 219a and 2191) for a purpose and in amanner hereinafter explained, and the blade is urged vertically awayfrom the bar 216 by coil springs 280 confined in spring barrels 28!secured to opposite ends of bar 216. The lower edge of the bar 216 iswedgeshaped, as appears in Figs. 5 and 13a, and the angular surface 283so provided is adapted to be engaged by the end 284 of the pawl arm 268as said pawl arm is moved against it, in such a manner as to depress thepawl arm against its spring 246 and thus permit the pawl arm to moveunder and engage in back of the bar 215 (see the dotted line and fullline positions of the pawl in Fig. 13b).

The lower edge portion of bar 216 is formed with a plurality of slots ornotches 290, 29!, 292 and 293, spaced and adapted, upon horizontalmovement of the bar 216 in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 13, toregister successively with the several pawl arms 268. In the movement ofthe bar 216 from left to right (position of Fig. 3 to position of Fig.13), the right hand pawl 268 registers first with the notch 299, thesecond pawl 268 registers next with the notch 29!, and so on. Fig. 3shows the beginning position, immediately after resetting, in whichfirst notch 290 is still to the right of first pawl arm 268. It will beevident that as each notch 29!], 29!, etc., registers with thecorresponding pawl arm 268, said pawl arm becomes released from the bar216, and is permitted to pass through the notch, the lever carrying thepawl at the same time advancing under the influence of its spring 24! tobring its cam follower roller 240 into operative association with thecorresponding cam.

The lower edge of blade 211 has, in line with the notches 299, 29!,etc., downwardly extending and outwardly displaced lugs 296 (see Fig.5), the outer faces of which are precisely flush with the outer face ofbar 216. The lower edges of these lugs normally, that is, when the bladeis in its uppermost position, clear the path of the pawl arms 268, butwhen the blade is depressed in the channel in bar 216, in a manner laterto be described (see Fig. 136), these lugs close the notches in the bar.As here shown, the lugs 29% are provided at the back with lugs 291,which serve to fill the lower portions of the notches to the rear of thelugs 296 when the blade is depressed, and which also, together with thelugs 296, erve to lock the blade and bar 216 against -relativelongitudinal displacement (Fig. 131)).

As stated above, the beginning position of the bar 216 and the blade 211is as shown in Fig. 3, and it will be observed that the several notches290, 29!, etc., are displaced by progressively increased distances tothe left of the corresponding pawl arms 268. And in such position, allof said pawl arms are latched on the bar 216, so that the levers 239,23!, etc., carrying the pawl arms 268 are all supported with their camfollower rollers 240 out of the paths of the cams, as in Figs. 4 and 14.Under the control of means subsequently to be described, the bar 216 andblade 21! are shifted at predetermined totals of electrical energyconsumed to bring the notches 290, 29!, etc., into successive registerwith the several pawls 268, whereby said pawls are released one at atime by said bar and travel through the notches to permit thecorresponding cam lever to bring its cam follower roller 24!) intooperative association with the corresponding cam.

The several cams I94, I95, I96 and I91 are all of the same shape, and adescription of the cam I94 appearing in Fig. will sufiice for all. Aswill be seen in Fig. 5, the cam has a, portion 33! of rapidly increasingradius, and a substantially radial drop-off portion 352 extendinginwardly from the maximum radius end of cam portion 33L The cam rotatesin the direction of the arrow in Fig. 5, and it will be evident thatwhen the cam I94 has rotated a short distance beyond the position shownin Fig. 5, the follower roller 243 will descend along cam portion 302,the spring actuated lever 23B rocking downwardly, as to the positionshown in Fig. 5a. For a reason which will appear hereinafter, it isgenerally desirable that the cam be so shaped as to elevate the lever233 rather rapidly, particularly during the latter portion of upwardtravel. For this reason, the cam portion 30I is preferably maderelatively steep toward its end.

As previously stated, when the pawl arm 268 is released from bar 2% byreason of notch 29E! registering therewith, the spring 245 acts to causepawl arm 235 to engage the pin 265 on crank 260. Said crank is therebylocked to lever 230, and hence oscillates with the cam-controlledoscillation of the lever. The sleeve 225a on which the cranks aretightly mounted oscillates correspondingly,

Just outside bearing 225, sleeve 225a carries a depending arm 3H1,tightly secured on the sleeve, and formed at its lower end with anoutwardly bent lug 3I I. Extending upwardly from arm 3Ill is a stop arm3I-2, adapted to engage against a stop conveniently afforded by the sideof the guide member 219a. Such engagement limits downward movement ofthe crank arms, and therefore of the cam levers, to the positionindicated in Fig. 5a. Thus, the cam I94 having rotated from the positionshown in Fig. 5 to such a position as shown in Fig. 5a, the lever 233and crank 2.63 will have dropped to the position of Fig. 5a, suchposition being established by engagement of stop arm 3I2 with stop 3I3.As cam I94 then continues to rotate, it will eventually pick up followerroller 24!! and elevate the lever 230 and crank arm 253 back toward theposition of Fig. 5. During such elevational travel of crank arm 263, arm3I0 on crank arm sleeve 225a moves toward the position illustrated inFig. 8, finally engaging a lug 3I5 on the tip of the lower arm 3I6 of atrip lever 3I'I pivotally mounted at 3l8 on a bracket 3l9 secured to theside of and spaced from bracket 20 I.

The upper arm 32!! of trip lever 3I'I has an outwardly bent lug 32Iwhose lower edge normally engages over the end portion of arm 322 ofbell crank 323, the latter being pivotally mounted at 324 on the innerface of an oscillating plate 325 which is tightly mounted on theextremity of shaft 225, The other arm 32B of bell crank 324 carries apin 321 which projects through an arcuate slot 328 in plate 325. Bellcrank 323 is normally urged to the relative position shown in Fig. 8 bymeans of a spring 330 connected between it and the plate 325, its pin321 at such time being at the left-hand end of slot 323, as viewed inthe aspect of Figs. 7 and 8. In the position of Fig. '7, the bell crank323 is being held, against the influence of spring 330, in position withits pin 321 at the other or right hand end of slot 328 by the lug 32I oftrip lever 3II, which lug at such time overrides the arm 322 of bellcrank and holds the latter in such position against its spring 330.

The upper arm 32!! of trip lever 3I'I has a pin 335 which projectsthrough an arcuate slot 336 in bracket 3I9, and a coil spring 331connected between said pin 335 and bracket 3H3 yieldingly urges the triplever toward the position illustrated in Figs. '7 and 9a, with the pin335 located against the left-hand end of the slot 333.

The previously described movement of the arm 3 I 3 in the direction ofthe arrows in Figs. '7 and 8 results finally in engagement of trip lever3I'I by said arm, and movement of the trip lever from the position ofFig. '7 to the position of Fig. 8, in which trip lever lug 32! hascleared bell crank arm 322, and the latter, under the influence of itsspring 333, then moves to the position shown in Fig. 8.

Tightly mounted on shaft II oscillated by gear sector I3 and normallyextending downwardly and somewhat forwardly from said shaft, is abifurcated arm 353, which receives a pin 35I set in the end of the upperarm 352 of a bell crank 353 pivotally mounted at 353 on bracket 3I9.

The other arm 355 of bell crank 353 has pivotally mounted thereon, as at356, a hook member 35?, and said hook member carries a pin 358 whichprojects under arm 355 so as to engage the latter and thereby serve asa, stop against clockwise rotation of the hook member relative to thebell crank beyond the position shown in Fig. '7. A spring 353 connectedbetween said pin 353 and arm 355 holds the hook member yieldingl in theposition of Fig. '7 with the pin 358 in engagement with the underside ofarm 355, as described.

Fig. '7 shows the normal position of the lastdescribed parts. Upon eachenergization of the motor M, rod 68 reciprocates the gear sector I3, arm353 and hook-carrying bell crank 353 between the two extreme positionsshown in Figs. 7 and 8. The hook 35'! is so positioned that in thecourse of this action it clears the pin 321 projecting from hell crank323 if the bell crank remains in the position of Fig. '7. However, iftrip lever 3H has previously been moved, so as to release bell crank323, and the latter has accordingly moved to the position shown in Fig.8, then said pin 32'! is in the path of the hook member and will beengaged thereby. On the upstroke of the hook member under suchconditions (downstroke of push rod and gear sector iii), the hook membermay engage pin 32'! at its sloping end portion 353, but will be movedsomewhat in a counter-clockwise direction, against spring 353, to permitpin 321 to be passed. Then, on the return or downstroke of the hookmember (upstroke of rod 58 and gear sector l'il), hook member 35? enages pin 32?, and moves said pin, together with oscillatory plate 325,in a downward direction to the position shown in Fig. 9. This movementof plate 325 rocks shaft 225 on which said plate is tightly mounted,and, it being recalled that the multiple-pawl carrying yoke for thevisible price counter I35 is directly operated by shaft 225, results inone actuation of said counter. Plate 325 is connected by a link 353 toan arm 33d tightly mounted on the shaft 520 which operates the yoke I53carrying the .multiple pawl for the printing price counter i532 Thus theprinting price counter is actuated simultaneously with the actuation ofthe visible price counter.

The parts then remain in the position of Fig. 9 until the nextenergization of motor M, at which time gear sector 75 is again loweredand bell crank 353 rocked in a counter-clockwise direction back towardits position as shOWn in Fig. 8. During this movement of hell crank 353,the lower arm 355 thereof engages a pin 3B2 projecting from plate 325and so elevates the latter back to the position of Fig. 7. In the courseof this action, arm 322 of bell crank 323 engages lug 32! of trip leverBil, and is caused thereby to swing relatively to plate 325 to theposition shown inFig. '7. On the return or upstroke of gear segment 10,bell crank 353 is then rocked back to the position of Fig. '7, its hookmember 351 clearing pin 321 carried by bell crank 323 since said pin isnOW at the right hand end of its slot 328, it being understood that thebell crank 323 is now again held in the position of Fig. '7 by triplever 3!1.

Thus, assuming bar 2l6 to have been shifted to position with one of itsnotches 290, 29!, etc., to a position of register with the correspondingpawl arm 268, so that the said pawl arm has released the correspondingpawl carrying lever to move into operative association with thecorresponding cam, and also so that the pawl arm 236 becomes lookedthrough pin 235 to the corresponding crank 26!], 26!, etc., periodicenergization of motor M, and the accompanying oscillation of gearsegment and of bell crank 353, has no effect insofar as operation of thevisible and printing price countore is concerned until the cam haslifted the lever and crank associated therewith sufiiciently to causearm 3!!) to trip lever 3!1. The next energization of motor M, however,results in the hook member 35! carried by bell crank 353 engaging thepin 321 and so rocking plate 325 in a downward direction, therebyeffecting a registering stroke of the counter operating devices. Thenext succeeding energization of motor M then returns the oscillatingplate 325 to its original position, and resets the pin-carrying bellcrank 323 and trip lever 3 1. By this time, the tip, or maximum radiusportion, of the actuating cam has passed the follower roller 243 carriedby the associated lever, and the latter together with the correspondingcrank, have been moved by spring 24! back down to a position in whichthe arm3 this retracted to the position shown in Fig. '7. Furtherenergizations of the motor M then result in further progressive rotationof the cam, but without actuation of the plate 325 to register anotherunit on the counters until the cam has again elevated the followerroller and level, together with the associated crank, sufiiciently tobring about another actuation of trip lever 3H and release of bell crank323.

It will be observed that while the several cams I34, et seq., functionas the actuating elements for the price counters, acting in cooperationwith the released cam levers and associated parts to ring aboutoperation of the price counters, the actual power for moving the pricecounters is in the above described embodiment of the invention derivednot from the cams but from the reciprocating parts 68, 10, 350, 353, and351 driven directly from motor M. Thus while the cams actuate the pricecounters in the sense of causing their operation by the prime mover(motor M), the power for moving the counters is not transmitted throughthe cams. In later indicated modifications, the cams may not onlyactuate the counters but drive them as well, or the counters may beadvanced by spring action, and moved through their return stroke by thecams.

It will be evident that the number of energizations of motor M necessaryto cause each such described actuation of the price counters dependsupon the rate of angular rotation imparted to the particular camcorresponding to the particular pawl arm which has been released byregistration therewith of a notch in bar 2ft. And the rates of angularrotation imparted to the different cams being all different, it willthus be evident that the price registered on the counters will begoverned by which of the notches 29!, 292, and 233 in the bar 216 hasbeen registered with a pawl arm 268.

In accordance with the invention, the bar 216 is periodically shiftedunder the control of the visible kilowatt hour register or counter. Asseen best in Fig. 13, the upper edge of the blade 211 of rate changingdevice 215 is formed with a plurality of longitudinally spaced lugs 310,which are adapted to perform a functional cooperation with sets ofuniformly spaced selector flanges 31! mounted between the counter wheelsof the visible kilowatt hour register in a manner now to be described.On the shaft 11 of the visible kilowatt hour counter or register, whichwill be recalled to support for free rotation the counter wheel 35 andtoothed disc 35 (Figs. 13, 15 and 16) as well as their counter parts inthe series, is rotatably mounted a series of hubs 312, one immediatelyto the left of each of the counter wheels, except the last counterwheel, as clearly appears in Fig. 13.

As seen best in Figs. 15 and 16, the right hand end portions of thesehubs, including circumferential end flanges 313 formed on the hubs, arereceived for free rotation in annular recesses 314 sunk in the sides ofthe adjacent counter wheels. Each hub is rotatably driven by theassociated counter wheel, as 35, through the medium of a spring 316, thetail of which projects through a hole 311 in the hub and a registeringhole 318 in the counter wheel. The opposite end of said spring depressesa pawl 380 pivoted on a pin 38! set into the end wall or Web 390 of hub312, causing the wedge-shaped end portion of one arm of the pawl to seatin an angular notch 382 of shaft 11. The purpose of this pawl willappear hereinafter in connection with a description of the resettingmechanism.

On each hub 312 is positioned a series of rings 385 on which are formedthe aforementioned annular flanges 31i, there being one such ring andflange corresponding to each of the notches 290, 29!, et seq., inrate-changing bar 216. The rings 385 are freely rotatable on hub 312 foradjustment purposes, and are positioned thereon in and to endengagement, as illustrated. Each ring 385 is provided with a series often equally spaced holes 388, and is secured in adjusted position uponthe hub 312 for rotation therewith by the tail 389 of a circular spring393, which is arranged so that the same spring will lock two of therings to the hub in selected adjusted positions by inserting the twoends or tails of each spring through holes 39! in the hub and intoselected holes 388 in the ring.

Each ring flange 31! is formed with a notch 33-5, the circumferentialposition of which with reference to hub 312 is adjustably determined bythe spring-locking mechanism last described. Ihese notches 335 are ofsufficient width to pass the lugs 313 on the blade 211 of the ratechanging device when registered therewith. For the purpose of all butthe right hand set of flanges 31!, i. e., those associated with theright hand counterwheel 33', these notches may be relatively narrow (seeFig. 16), being of just sufficient width to pass the rate changing bladeeasily, or with relatively small working clearance. For the

